Car-door operating and locking device



Dec. 2, 1924. 1,517,443

L. M CLAI N CAR DOOR OPERATING AND LOCKING DEVICE Filed March 6 1924 zs 2:1 INVENTOR. 3 sycgjlle/gf n ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES LESLIE MCCLAIN, OF OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA.

CAR-DOOR OPERATING AND LOCKING DEVICE.

Application filed March 6, 1924. Serial No. 697,259.

To all whom it may concern:

7 Be itknown that I, LESLIE MOOLAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oklahoma City, in the county of Oklahoma and State of Oklahoma, have invented a certain new and useful Invention in Car- Door Operating and Looking Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompa nying drawings.

Perhaps, in no other class of inventions, are there as many considerations to be observed for service and practicability, as in the case of rail-road devices, and, particularly, rolling stock, and in this connection, much inventive thought has been, and without practical avail, directed to freightcars, and their appurtenances.

There are many reasons why in their use, freight-cars are caused to suffer, and among some of them, may be mentioned the following: overloading, until the freight-car door is bulged away from the car-structure, or pushed off altogether; prying the door open in various ways to pilfer its contents, and here, particularly may be said, that, in order not to suffer the special penalty of seal-breaking, attempt is usually made to enter the car at the rear of the door, where the prying or loosening of parts is usually attempted.

Again, it. is usually the experience of those having to open ladened cars, that, especially, if poor packing or internal spotting is faulty, the jolting of the contents within the car, results in piling against the inside of the door, causing outward pressure, impinging the door against its runners, even behind the door in sucha manner as to warp it, and making the opening of the door a very diflicult matter; to the end whereof, it becomes necessary to pry the door open, which may be a difficult operation. It also happens that it becomes eX pedient at times to leave the door ajar, in shipping live stock, perishable stuffs, and the like, and, to do this, usually requires blocking the door in position desired, by the use of a block and nailing suitably arranged. This invention seeks a mechanical and practical substitute for this method, and whereby the door may be spotted to suit; also to open and close the same with a simple and effective leverage, and associated in this connection either with this means, or operating co-jointly with the same are the same is most usually tampered with, to 1 effect an entrance, which is usually at the lowermost right hand corner of the door.

As this specification proceeds, there will be evident object of invention appearing, upon which the claim made for said invention will be predicated, and, let it be understood that the drawing, accompanying and forming a part of the invention, is but an illustration of a practical and convenient form of the same, to be varied, at will, according to rail-road rolling stock-manufacture, and other demands.

The essential of the invention is to open and close the door, at'will, mechanically, and to lock the door absolutely in the position desired.

On the drawing, accompanying and forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 illustrates a fragmented carfreight in typewith the invention applied;

Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the locking lever in reversed position, or in position for operating the door, and

Figure 3 is a detailed plan view of a locking rack.

In these several views, similar characters of reference, indicate similar parts.

Generally, the car may be indicated by A, and the door by B, and thus hereafter these two units will be just referred to as car and door.

On the sides of the car is the usual track 4, upon which the door moves and the usual supporting clip-cleats 5 at the lower edge of the door and upon the sides of the car. The door is provided with the usual hangers 6 cooperating either directly or with intervening wheels with the track 4 so that the door may be moved laterally, either way, at will.

The usual hasp 7 and the handle 8 are provided, and on the sides of the car A are the usual jambs 9 at the edge 10 of the opening 11.

Thus the ordinary and usual parts of the car are now stated.

To the rear or back edge 12 of the door, and along the outside of the side of the car is preferably a perforated rack 13, the perforations of which are for the purpose of receiving the end of a finger 16 suitably connected movably with the upper end of a lever 17 fulcrumed at 18, so that when the lever is moved at will, the finger may be step by'step, placed in the successive perforations, either way, or in the direction wanted, and by pulling on the lever, the

6 door is urged in the direction desired, even though there is a transverse pressure op erating against the free movement of the door.

A lever 20 is pivotally mounted on a clevis 1 19 which is movably secured to the door, and

level.

At the lower right hand part of the door is a bifurcated keeper 21 into the bight of which, when it is desired to lock the door, in any position, the shank of the lever 17 20 is deposited, and after this is done the hasped end 22 of the lever, which is also a handle is slipped over a staple section 23 of a staple rack 24, and then through the opening 25 the usual seal may be placed,

and thus the door may not only be sealed at the usual and customary sealing point, now in vogue, but at the point of least resistance to piHering--the Iowerrigl'rt band edge, and in 'fact the entire back edge of the door, where the same is usually jimmied.

There are advantages here, not heretofore mentioned, and worthy now of notice, to Wit, in addition ton'll that-has been, in a general way, said, the door is controllable against displacement, dne to'impact; is controllable against outward swin in in transit; obviates the necessity o? "the blocking the doors before dispatchin "them, and hasattendin advanta s too viou's to mention.

Having thus eso'ribed this invention, I claim A car, a door therefor, a pair of racks, means carried by the door for (to-operating with each of said racks intermittently for urging the door in lateral directions either way, and for locking said door in given positions in either direction, and means carried by the door for co-operating with the said locking means.

Signed at Oklahoma, in the county of Oklahoma, and State of ()klahoma, this 14th day of February, in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and twenty-foun LESLIE MCCLAIN. 

